Captives or Slaves and Masters in Eivissa (Ibiza), 1235–1600

Abstract

This article concerns captivity or slavery on the island of Eivissa (Ibiza) from the time of its conquest by Christians until the end of the sixteenth century. Captives were used to cultivate and harvest vineyards and to labor on public building works in accordance to the strict calendar for agricultural and salt production. The sources have been examined for quantitative data and for the identity of their masters. They contain valuable information on the characteristics of these captives (sex, origins) and on their mode of arrival to the island. Slave masters have also been evaluated in search of common features, such as economic position, political offices held, and properties owned. These data have been used to test Claude Meillassoux’s (1986) definition of slavery. Simultaneously, Charles Verlinden’s work has also been analyzed, with special regard to the motivation behind his turning of what the medieval sources referred to as “captives” into “slaves.”